Nurse Salary

Everybody knows that nurses are absolutely essential in the health care system, all around the world. Nurses are efficient health care professionals who perform a variety of medical and administrative tasks, and they are an indispensable part of the medical team. However, the median yearly wage of these professionals can vary across the United States, depending on their position. For instance, licensed practical nurses tend to make around $39,000 a year, while registered nurses make around $42,000 annually, provided that they have at least an Associate’s Degree or a Master’s Degree in the Science of Nursing. On the other hand, clinical nurse specialists are amongst the highest paid professionals in their line of work, as they can make as much as $80,000 annually, and they must hold a Master’s Degree in Nursing.

Pay Scale In Different Parts Of The United States of America

The position held by the nurse is not the only aspect that influences the salary, as there are other factors that should be taken into consideration as well, such as their location. For instance, a nurse that lives in Alabama makes around $55,000 a year, while one from Alaska can make as much as $81,0000 annually. California is known to be one of the highest paying states for medical professionals, and nurses who live and work here should expect a median yearly salary of around $90,000. Hawaii pays its nurses with around $85,000, while the state of Connecticut offers them a median yearly wage of approximately $75,000.

Nurse Job Description

The duties and responsibilities of a nurse are many, as these professionals not only need to deal with medical tasks, but with clerical and administrative tasks as well. Generally speaking, it is the duty of the nurse to assess the health problems and needs of each individual patient, and then to come up with a targeted nursing care plans. It is also the responsibility of the nurse to keep track of the medical records, to monitor the signs and symptoms of the patient as well as to take their medical history. It often happens that nurses work with critically ill patients, or convalescent or even disabled patients.

In addition to this, it is also the duty o the nurse to record the medical information and the vital signs of patients, as well as to adjust the patient treatment plans depending on their needs and requirements. They must consult with other members of the health care team and they must also order, interpret and evaluate the diagnostic tests in order to assess the overall health status of the patient. It is also the duty of the nurse to keep an eye on the physical activity and the diet of the patient, as well as to work closely with the new nurses or the less skilled health care personnel and to help them improve their skills and nurse-related knowledge.

Nurses often have to administer the treatment that was previously prescribed by physicians, and they must also prepare the patients for the examinations. Also, they need to work closely with the family members of the patient as well, and to educate them on different health aspects. It is not uncommon for a nurse to raise awareness about a certain condition or disease in public, as well as to develop health improvement programs.

Speaking of the medical duties of the nurses, these professionals need to make sure that all the medical equipments and surgical instruments are properly cleaned and sterilized, and to also make sure that the stock of supplies is maintained. Some of the nurses may also work in the operating room close to the surgeon, and they can administer different types of anesthetic. In some cases, the nurse can conduct different laboratory test, make tentative diagnoses or even perform a variety of different physical examinations. In extreme cases, it is the duty of the nurse to perform first aid and other emergency health care services.

Programs:

Nursing@Simmons enables Registered Nurses to earn an MSN online from the Simmons School of Nursing and Health Sciences in as few as 20 months. As a student, you will attend live online classes and gain clinical experience at sites in or near your community, secured with the assistance of a dedicated clinical placement team. Accredited by CCNE, the program offers part-time and full-time options to prepare you for certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner.

Programs:

Building on Purdue's mission to provide greater access to affordable, world-class education, Purdue University Globaldelivers a fully personalized online experience that's tailored to working adults. By opening the doors to adults who need flexibility to fit learning into their busy lives, we make it possible to achieve a high-quality education from a prestigious university system—completely online.

Programs:

Northcentral University was founded in 1996 to provide working professionals around the world with unprecedented access to richly engaging, professionally relevant, and academically-rigorous education from a U.S. university.

As a regionally accredited, private, online and graduate-focused university, NCU offers doctoral, master’s and bachelor’s degrees in business, technology management, education, and psychology, as well as doctoral and master’s degrees in marriage and family therapy.

Programs:

Chamberlain’s RN to BSN option offers convenient 100% online coursework, no mandatory login times and no campus visits. This flexible framework allows you to continue in your current role while you pursue your degree. And, because the curriculum is developed and taught by RNs who are also educators, you know you are learning what you need to push your skills forward now – and in the future.

Programs:

RN to BSN Online Option

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In order to work as a nurse in the United States of America, you must firstly be registered. That being said, you will need either a high school diploma or a GED in order to enroll in a nursing program, where the coursework will most likely consist of subjects like anatomy, biology, chemistry, nutrition or physiology. As mentioned above, while some of the US nurses can pursue a lucrative career with an Associate’s Degree in the field, others decide to take their career even further and to apply for a Bachelor’s Degree in the Science of Nursing, or a BSN.

Regardless of the chosen educational path, it is extremely important to take the NCLEX-RN exam and to become a registered nurse. However, the eligibility requirements for the registration exam can vary from one state to another.

Certification

If you have decided to specialize in a particular medical area, then you should certainly consider pursuing a certification. Not only will a certification help you get a steady and rewarding job, but it will also help you get a higher salary. That being said, the certification is provided by the AACN.

Nurse Salary In Canada, Australia And The United Kingdom

Nurses are of paramount importance all around the world, and they are present wherever people need high-quality medical care services. In Canada for instance, the median yearly salary of a nurse in the health care industry revolves around CAD$50,000, while in Australia these health care providers are paid with approximately Au$30/hour. In the United Kingdom, on the other hand, nurses should expect to be paid between 22,000 and as much as 27,000 pounds a year, depending on whether they work in a state hospital or in a private clinic. Their overall expertise and level of training also has an impact on the final salary.

Verdict On Nurse Salary

To conclude, nurses can get a very rewarding salary, especially if they have decided to pursue a career as a clinical specialist nurse, as these tend to be the highest paid professionals in their line of activity – and for a very good reason.